Pyrophoric lighter



Jan. l1, 1949. F. MEYER 2,459,085

PYROPHORIC LIGHTER Filed Jan. 10, 1946 INVENTOR Bg 64 M E f4 M y M *MATTO NEYs Patented Jan. 11, 1.949

PYROPHORIC LIGHTER Frederick Meyer, Union, N. J., assignor to RonsonNewark, N. J., a corpora- Art Metal Works, Inc.

tion of New Jersey Application January 10, 1946, Serial No. 640,311

1 Claim.

My invention relates to pyrophoric lighter improvements.

A known form of pyrophoric lighter comprises a fuel-containing casinghaving a pair of spaced upstanding standards or lugs which carry afulcrum screw forming the pivotal or rotatable axis for a snuifer leverand a serrated wheel. In accordance with my invention, a pair ofstandards as above described are drilled so as to loosely receive ahardened pin or other member which is utilized in lieu of the aforesaidfulcrum screw for the purpose stated. This pin may be unnished and, inorder to detachably retain the same in its intended position and impartav nished appearance to the upper part of the lighter, a plate isprovided for covering the exterior surface of each standard. Thearrangement should be such that at least one of these cover plates isreadily detachable from its supporting standard to permit readymanipulation of the aforesaid supporting pin when it becomes desirableor necessary to assemble or disassemble the lighter parts carriedthereby.

Various other objects, advantages and features of my invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description.

My invention resides in the pyrophoric lighter improvements,combinations and arrangements of the character hereinafter described andclaimed.

For an understanding of my invention and for an illustration of one ofthe forms thereof, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing,in which:

Figure l is a plan view, partly broken away...

showing the pyrophoric lighter of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, partly broken away, showing thepyrophoric lighter of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view, taken on the line 3 3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a cover plate; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing parts of my improvement indisassembled relation.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the pyrophoric lighter maycomprise a container or casing i0 at the top of which is mounted a pairof spaced parallel lugs or standards II, one at the iront and one at therear of the container I0. The lugs I I are drilled transversely as atI2, Figs. 3 and 6, to freely receive a pin or member I3, preferablycylindrical, which is adapted to on opposite respective sides of the lugdrilling I2;

2 support parts of the lighter sparking mechanism as will be hereinafterexplained.`

In accordance with the invention, the pin I3` may be of unfinished,hardened steel and it is merely inserted in the drillings i2 at theproper time during the assemblage of the lighter parts. The pin I3 ispositively retained in the drillings I2 by cover plates I4 which engagethe respective opposite ends of said pin i3, Fig. 3. One cover plate Illis provided for each of the lugs II and the cover plates i4 preferablyareformed from suitable metallic` material, if desired, any suitablearrangement may be provided for preventing rotative movement of the pinI3 after it has been properly positioned on the lugs II.

Asis apparent from Fig. 5, the cover plates Ill have strip-likeconguration and the sides of each may be turned inwardly to formparallel flanged portions I5 which are adapted for frictional engagementwith complementary tracks I6 formed on each lug II at right' angles tothe plane of the top casing wall. It will be noted that the tracks I6protrude outwardly from each of the lugs II and that they are turned inopposite directions for releasable locking engagement with therespective iianged portions I5.` The tracks IB on each lug II areparallel and located Accordingly, when the cover plates i4 are placed onthey respective lugs II, said plates serve to prevent transversemovement of the pin I3 and thus positively retain this pin in itsintended position. Moreover, the cover plates Ill are disposed over theunnished ends of the pin I3 and, hence, these unfinished pin ends arenot visible.

Although the detailed construction of the lighter mechanism forms nopart of this invention, a typical :pyrophoric lighter has been shown inFigs. 1 to 3 for purposes of illustration. In this lighter, an abradantwheel 2d is mounted for free rotatable movement on the pin I3, a pieceof sparking metal 2|, Fig. 3, being urged into engagement with theabradant wheel by a spring 22 mounted within a tube 23 which extendsthrough the casing I0, access to the tube being afforded by a screw 24at the bottom of the casing. The abradant wheel is actuated by areciprocable operating member 27 which has integral racks meshing,respectively, with gear segments 29 loosely mountedon the pin I3.

The aforesaid gear segments 29 mesh, respectively, with toothed sectorsformed in the respective side Walls of a snuifer lever 30 which carriesa snufler cap 3| engageable with a wick tube 32 prising a tooth whichnis 'coactable'with ratchet. ,s

teeth formed on theiadja'cent side of theserrated iwheel 20. When theoperating member 2 is depressed, the snuffer lever 3G is swungclockwise,

Fig. 2, with the result that the wheel 2|),abrades the sparking metal 2Ito direct a shower of sparks toward the upper, exposed end-ofthe.wiclnSSsafnd which gives satsiiactory' results, it will be underigntethe fuel carried thereby: 'Whenthe ope.

erating member 2'I is released, an associated spring, not shown, returnsthe parts Vto the :respec-,-

tive positions thereof shown in Fig. 2 and, during this movement, theclutch disk idles with respect to the serrated wheel 20.

Thefrijctional engagement. lbetween thesets of siredto remove the` pin,I3 for repair or replacementfof parts. f In orderl to obtaina pleasingap-v t pearanceandprovide an .additional contact area between :the coverpiates andthe lugs,..each cover plate-:i4 may-beprovided kwith anarcuate end surface :Illarhaving generally; the samey shape as the topof a lug II, said arcuate surface being bent inwardly so asto. engage.the adj acentzouter.

surface ofthelug Vwith .which 'it is associated More: particularly,y thehardened pin` I3 of my invention replaces the ulcrum screw of4 prior arti pyrophoric `lighters with resultant increase in the life of the ulcrumbearing. 1 The assemblingl or disassembly of: the lighter mechanismsimaybel effected with ease andwithout employingza screw e driverwhichmayslip andmar,Y scratchV or damage the lighter;standards;y thehead; of the fulcr'um' #i screw vor 'other parts ofthe lighter.. With`the lighter ameohanism in operative condition as shownl in vFiet, theparts 'mayl readily be dis-A assembled as follows: The screw- 24-may bewith# drawn or vloosened to ,such .extent that .the spring 50 22 isineffective to hold the pyrophoric element 2l in engagement with theserrated wheel 20. Thereupon, ait-er one of the cover plates I4 has beenremoved from a standard Il, the operating member 2 may be depressed and,then, by a shaking action, the pin I3 is readily detached from thestandards II. En as simple a manner, the' partsv ofithe lightermeoha'nismfmay be reassembled when desired. it will be understood, iidesired, the arrangement may be such that only one of the cover plateshl is detachable from its supporting standard II.

While the invention has been described with respect to a certainparticular preferred example A .lighter having a casing, a pair of.spaced standards extending therefrom'andA having transverse alinedpassages extending` therethrough, a pivot pinzior operating parts of`the lighter having its. opposite end portions mounted within andslidable endwise through said passages, cover plates respectively`overlyingwthe `outer sides of standards andtheiouterend-,portions ofsaidpassages and :pivotjpin to conceal-the latter and; limitfendwisemovement'of the pingzat least one of said cover plates e anditscorresponding standard having parts interengaging to afford slidingmovementof said plate in plane transverse tothe .pin to expose :thecorresponding end of the pinandaiord endwise removal oi' the pin pastysaid'. last mentionedacover plate.

FREDERICK MEYER.

' REFERENCES CTED The following referencesare ofrecord in the Ule. ofAthis patent:`

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number` Name Datek 1,900,207- i Strausser Mar. 7,1933 2,311,440 Jacobson i Feb. 16, l1943

